'Roos Take One of Two From No. 25 TLU

SEGUIN, Texas - The Austin College baseball team split its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference twinbill at No. 25-ranked Texas Lutheran on Friday, holding on for an 8-7 win in game one before coming up short 6-2 to cap the doubleheader. The 'Roos are now 6-6 overall and 6-5 in conference play.

Game one saw Austin College jump on top of TLU with five runs in the opening frame, with Caleb Staggs scoring on an error to get things started and Carlos Michinaux doubling home a pair of runs to make it 3-0. Jaxyn Rogers completed the scoring with a two-run shot to make it a 5-0 game, and the margin grew to 6-0 in the second when another error allowed Jayden Ayala-Hinojosa, who was 3-for-5 with three runs in the win, to cross home plate.

Desmond Squalls launched a solo shot in the fourth to make it 7-0 before the Bulldogs, who earlier this week defeated No. 1-ranked Trinity, finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth with two runs. Two more runs came across for TLU in the sixth to cut it to 7-4 before Rogers doubled home another run in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to four runs.

TLU got one run across in the seventh and plated two in the bottom of the ninth to trim it to 8-7, but with runners at the corners, Cade Rabal managed to close the door and make sure the comeback bid fell short on his way to earning the save. Jonas CeBallos got the win, pitching 7.0 innings while surrendering five runs, four earned, on six hits. Rogers and Michinaux each collected a pair of hits. Isaiah Ramirez got the loss for TLU. 

In game two, Texas Lutheran was the one to grab a big first inning lead, as the Bulldogs plated four in the bottom of the frame before Austin College got two runs back in the second. Jorge Villalobos singled home one run, and Cayd Miller drove in another to cut it to 4-2.

There wasn't much scoring the rest of the way, as TLU got a run back in the bottom of the second to make it 5-2, and one more run came home for the Bulldogs in the fourth. Neither team was able to generate any scoring over the final five innings, with Austin College loading the bases in the top of the ninth but unable to get back on the scoreboard.

Blake Skipworth took the loss, giving up six runs on seven hits in three innings, and Keaton Bradshaw and Villalobos paced the 'Roos at the dish with two hits each. Jack Grames got the win for the Bulldogs, going 8.1 innings and giving up two runs on nine hits. The two teams will look to complete the series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., weather permitting.